year of grounded switches?

Status
Not open for further replies.

wrestless

Member
Can anyone out there tell me the year that all switches in dwellings had to be of grounded type? Not talking about renovations. Only new construction.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Not sure of the year, but I believe it is prior to the '70's. One point I might make though. Swiches, even today, don't have to have a ground terminal. For example, if you are using metal boxes (which have to be grounded) just the attachment screws are an acceptable means of grounding. In other words, the method of grounding of switches is not as strict as a receptacle which would require a ground terminal or be listed as self grounding when using a metal box (unless yoke is flat against the box).
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
So if you have plastic boxes in anew house switches don't have to be grounded? When did you get your license? LOL!

I did not say that if you are using NM boxes and NM cable that they don't have to be grounded, that was assumed. I think you should read a little more carefully.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
I understood exactly what you meant. But then, there are parts of the NEC that I understand, too.

:lol:

Thanks for the moral support-I think that' what you meant?

In any event, I have no issue with someone wanting clarification or even disagreeing with my comments, that's fair enough. But to question my credentials and insult me when he doesn't even know me is where I draw the line.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Thanks for the moral support-I think that' what you meant?

In any event, I have no issue with someone wanting clarification or even disagreeing with my comments, that's fair enough. But to question my credentials and insult me when he doesn't even know me is where I draw the line.

Technically, we are supposed to give new members (less than 100 posts) some slack.

However.......I agree with you that the post was rude and uncalled for. Hence, said support on my part.

FWIW, you can still purchase switches with or without a grounding terminal. Watch for that if you are getting stuff out of bins....
 
Last edited:

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Technically, we are supposed to give new members (less than 100 posts) some slack.

However.......I agree with you that the post was rude and uncalled for. Hence, said support on my part.

FWIW, you can still purchase switches with or without a grounding terminal. Watch for that if you are getting stuff out of bins....

Thanks.
Yes, that was kind of my point, that you can get them with or without gr term depending on the intended installation, that there is no requirement to have a gr term. on a switch as a blanket statement. I infered the OP was stating that you had to have a ground terminal on every switch.
 

wrestless

Member
whoever I insulted!

whoever I insulted!

To whoever I insulted , I am sorry just alittle aggrevated today things didn't go so well. All I was asking is what year if anyone knows ( had to be around 1983 or so) that when in a dwelling and new work did you have to start grounding switches in plastic boxes? I have been in the field since1973 .I remember in N.Y. when all switches within 6 ft of a grounded means had to be grounded. And I am not talking about receptacles, just can't seem to remember when. Anyway here is the issue had a service call last week and there were two switches in an area in the bath that were not grounded the grounds were spliced and capped but not going to switch.So I said these switches should be grounded( house was built in 1998) they had an inspector come in and he told them the switches don't have to be grounded. So ? I definetely say he is wrong and I am trying to prove myself but as I get older can't remember the exact year. Again truley sorry but have been on many blogs and sometimes some of the answers you get is like playing telephone! Again sorry for insulting anyone Thanks!
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Cowboyjwc gets the prize. It was in fact 1999/380-9 that specifically talks about grounding the switch itself. In the 1996 NEC 380-12 says if you use a metal box it must be grounded, but does not mention the switch itself and 380.9 only refers to faceplates. In the 2005 NEC switches were moved to a new Art 404 and the grounding details evolved a little more and has since then a liitle more. But the biggy that I think the OP is looking for that specfically spells out the switch is as cowboy stated 1999/380-9.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
And one more thing....just a point of trivia, 2005 they stopped using hyphens in article numbers and went to periods. Just trying to restore my honor through research for extra credit as the OP thinks I just fell off the turnip truck yesterday.:)
 

Gac66610

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
I have a quick question, (not trying to jack the thread but i believe the question was answered :))
If there is a multi-gang NM box would all switches need bonding or just one?
 

John120/240

Senior Member
Location
Olathe, Kansas
I have a quick question, (not trying to jack the thread but i believe the question was answered :))
If there is a multi-gang NM box would all switches need bonding or just one?

In a 2, or 3 or 4 gang box I have always grounded each device (switch or recptacle)

What would be the reasoning to ground just one ??:?
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
And one more thing....just a point of trivia, 2005 they stopped using hyphens in article numbers and went to periods. Just trying to restore my honor through research for extra credit as the OP thinks I just fell off the turnip truck yesterday.:)

You might want to read post #10!
 

Gac66610

Senior Member
Location
Kansas
In a 2, or 3 or 4 gang box I have always grounded each device (switch or recptacle)

What would be the reasoning to ground just one ??:?

as it was explained to us (by our inspector) the main reason for grounding the switches was in case homeowners replaced our plastic plates with metal plates

we, at the time were grounding all devises in any size box, inspector told us that only one was needed in multi-gang boxes
receptacles are always grounded
 
Last edited:

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
as it was explained to us (by our inspector) the main reason for grounding the switches was in case homeowners replaced our plastic plates with metal plates

we, at the time were grounding all devises in any size box, inspector told us that only one was needed in multi-gang boxes
receptacles are always grounded

I think he is greatly mistaken. Even with non metal faceplate you typically have metallic screws attaching them, which are a shock hazard. The 2011 code deals with this in 404.9(B). Take a look at it and the exceptions. It leaves very little doubt about the requirements and methods of grounding switches and faceplates.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top